"Google Earth live" is still probably 10-20 years away. But at least one company (other than Google) is pushing to make live, HD video of Earth a reality much, much sooner than that.

The company is called UrtheCast (pronounced "Earthcast"), and according to Google Creative Sandbox, their plan is to mount two cameras on the International Space Station that will not only stream live content at resolutions as low as one meter per pixel, but also "create a video version of Google Earth with the video playback and search functionality of YouTube."

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Lindsay has just been granted a Canadian work permit to film an upcoming Liz Taylor movie in Toronto ... which is a big deal because the Canucks usually aren't too fond of granting permits to foreigners with criminal records.

Sources tell us ... Candian officials have realized Lindsay has been receiving positive marks from the court and her probation officer ... and signed off on the permit hours after she completed her community service requirements yesterday.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Ottawa is the most “cheater-friendly” city in Canada, according to an infidelity website that allows would-be adulterers to hook up.

According to figured collected by AshleyMadison.com, which has 37,800 members in Ottawa and the surrounding area, 3.87 per cent of residents in the capital area have accessed the website’s services at least once.

AshleyMadison.com founder and CEO Noel Biderman is not surprised Ottawa topped the list. It makes sense that Ottawa would have the highest per capita users, he says.

“Compared to the rest of Canada, I don’t know that Ottawa is boring. It’s a place for international people to come and go. There have even been spy scandals.”

The website, launched in February 2002, now has 13 million members in 17 countries, including 1.2 million in Canada. Using data from third-party providers, AshleyMadison has tracked per capita use in the U.S. Since 2009. Washington D.C. has always been the top U.S. market.

“They are a million miles ahead of anyone else,” says Biderman, who believes that government cities like Ottawa and Washington, with their populations of high-powered, cosmopolitan and educated people, may have a higher demographic potential for adultery.

Involvement in politics seems to fuel adultery. “They’re risk-takers. Risk-takers are more predisposed to have affairs.”

And women with higher levels of education may also be more likely to be interested in a brief liaison. Between 36 and 39 per cent of users are women, says Biderman.

“Men have always had cathartic outlets — massage parlours, strip clubs. Women understand that the affair with your best friend’s husband or that guy at work is a bad idea. This is another option. It’s like a nightclub that had ladies’ night.”

Other senior staff at the AshleyMedison.com predicted Montreal or Vancouver would have the highest concentration of users. Biderman himself bet on Toronto. Although Toronto is ninth on the list in Canada, it does not have significantly lower per-capita adultery than Ottawa, he says.

The top 10 Canadian cities for cheating, according to AshleyMadison.com:

■ Ottawa — 3.87 per cent

■ Saskatoon — 3.69 per cent

■ Calgary — 3.61 per cent

■ Edmonton — 3.55 per cent

■ London — 3.52 per cent

■ Brampton — 3.48 per cent

■ Winnipeg — 3.44 per cent

■ Hamilton — 3.37 per cent

■ Toronto — 3.35 per cent

■ Vancouver — 2.97 per cent

Ottawa sex therapist Sue McGarvie knows both men and women in the area who use infidelity websites, including a number of recently-separated women.

“They don’t want to be in a relationship. They want inconsequential sex.”

McGarvie points out that Ottawa is a city with a European sensibility and a French influence. It has three swingers’ clubs.

“Go to a downtown hotel and sit at the bar and you’ll see business people who are waiting for a blind date,” she says.

“I’m seeing a lot of people who are interested in discretion. People are less concerned with the morality of it and they want to get their needs met.”

For some people who cheat, a discreet affair is better than a divorce, which involves dividing assets and disruption for children, says McGarvie. Some have a spouse with a chronic illness or have mismatched libidos. Others are not getting any attention from their spouse, or they work too much and rarely see each other.

“People prefer an affair to ending a marriage. For women, it’s not necessarily the sex. It’s the flirting, the attention,” says McGarvie, whose radio show was once sponsored by AshleyMadison.com and looked into how the website’s business model worked. (Men who join must buy credits to contact women who are interested in cheating.)

“I’m not arguing the mortality of it. Few people get 100 per cent of what they’re looking for in a marriage. A lot of people are well-matched, buy they are not well-matched sexually.”

McGarvie also sees another potential reason why the infidelity website is so popular in Ontario — AshleyMadison.com was founded in Toronto, but also marketed heavily in Ottawa.

Biderman was surprised Saskatoon beat out the typically high-ranking cities of Calgary and Edmonton as the city with the second-highest per capita cheaters.

“We find our strong membership in the west in keeping with the trend of people with conservative values participating in what is considered ‘deviant’ societal behaviour,” he says.

“But Saskatoon? What is going on in Saskatoon?”

Biderman believes that “boom” cities with a transient population are more likely to be places for affairs. In the U.S., Las Vegas is one of the top markets for AshleyMadison.com.

“The families may live in other cities. It may feed the opportunity for adulterous affairs.”

Biderman has also been surprised by the propensity of people in cities like Cincinnati and Phoenix to sign up. “What is it about the water in Cincinnati?”

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The province welcomes the report of the cyberbullying task force, released today, March 22, and will work with partners to identify first priorities to help keep kids safe.

Cyberbullying Task Force chair Wayne MacKay, professor at Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, released the paper titled Respectful and Responsible Relationships: There's No App for That, The Report of the Nova Scotia Task Force on Bullying and Cyberbullying.

"Bullying is a major social issue throughout the world and is one of the symptoms of a deeper problem in our society -- the deterioration of respectful and responsible human relations," said Mr. MacKay. "The magnitude of the problem is daunting and there are no simple solutions on the horizon. There are, however, some effective strategies.

"The theme throughout the report is to expose bullying as a behaviour that, to use common parlance, is definitely not cool."

The 100-page report and its extensive appendices cover topics such as:

-- the scope and consequences of bullying and cyberbullying

-- partnering, networking and continued dialogue

-- definitions

-- law and policy

-- interventions and proactive measures

-- educating diverse audiences

-- accountability and responsibility structures

"For too long, young people have been victims of bullying, and now cyberbullying," said Education Minister Ramona Jennex. "We heard from parents, students, teachers, and Nova Scotians who told us that this is a serious issue with serious consequences that must be dealt with. This government agrees, and we are committed to working with our partners to keep our kids safe.

"I would like to thank professor MacKay, the Cyberbullying Task Force and Working Group, and all of their partners for working hard to analyze the scope and prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying in our communities, and for offering possible solutions to keep our children safe from harm. I also want to thank everyone who participated in meetings, or provided input in other ways."

Acting on the issue of cyberbullying in partnership with the community, parents and students is part of Kids and Learning First. Kids and Learning First is the province's education plan to help every student succeed.

To view the report, visit cyberbullying.novascotia.ca . Nova Scotians are welcome to provide feedback by sending an e-mail to cyberbullying@gov.ns.ca .

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

British teen band One Direction became the first UK group to enter the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at number one on Tuesday.

The band sold more than 176,000 copies of their debut album "Up All Night", making chart history in the United States, with the record soaring straight to the top of the digital charts within minutes of its official release on March 13th, a statement from the band's label Syco said on Wednesday.

The boy band came together on Britain's The X Factor TV talent contest after judge Simon Cowell suggested they sing together as a band rather than on their own.

Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson joined forces and became hot competition during the 2010 edition of The X Factor, finishing in third place.

"When we got put together as a group, we couldn't imagine ourselves coming to America, let alone releasing our album here, so for us to be sitting at the top of the U.S. album charts is unbelievable," Horan said in a statement.

Over 10,000 fans turned up for the band's first live TV performance on the NBC's Today Show in New York.

The band have also racked up more than 204 million views on video website YouTube, have 12 million followers on Twitter and 3.6 million fans on Facebook.

"I couldn't be happier for One Direction, it is an incredible achievement," Cowell said.

One Direction's debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" won a BRIT Award in February and sold more than 131,000 copies in its first week. Their entry on the Billboard Hot 100 also marked the highest debut from a British band since the Spice Girls in 1998.

One Direction were signed to Cowell's Syco label in 2011 in partnership with Columbia Records in the United States.

Syco Entertainment is a music television, film and digital joint venture between Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment whose assets include The X Factor and Got Talent, as well as artists such as Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Il Divo, Cher Lloyd, One Direction & Labrinth.

Hunger Games mania is upon us. The Young Adult trilogy-turned-blockbuster is due out this weekend, and some of you out there still have no idea what these crazy Food Games are all about. Fear not, as we have compiled a detailed Hunger Games explainer, just in time for G-day. Be you screaming tween, good-sporting parent, or disgruntled old timer, this explainer will guide you as we as a nation prepare for the newest (and unavoidable) pop-culture phenom.

What is/are the Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games is a Young Adult book series, a trilogy in fact, written by Suzanne Collins. The first Hunger Games novel made its debut in 2008 and has been adapted into the highly anticipated movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence as the series' protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. It is due out this coming Friday. Or Thursday at midnight, depending on your level of fandom.

The novels follow Katniss, a 16-year-old living in the dystopic world of Panem. At its most basic, Panem is the collection of twelve districts that surround the Capitol city, located at the heart of what was once North America. Each of the districts' economy and livelihood relies on a resource- fish, produce, textiles- that is eventually exported to the Capitol. Katniss, our heroin, lives in District 12: the coal district. All of the 12 districts, which vary in size and population, share in common their impoverishment and complete subordination to the Capitol's rule. All citizens outside the Capitol are on some level starving, poorly clothed and sheltered, and under the control of an often corrupt security system that acts as liaison enforcement via the Capitol. The Capitol, in comparison, is a wealthy, cosmopolitan metropolis. Think L.A., but an L.A. completely devoid of poor people and even more fanatical about plastic surgery.

That sounds pretty unfair. 12 Districts spread across North America seems like a lot of people. Why would they stand for the Capitol's mistreatment? Can't they just overthrow them?

They did rebel, once, 74 years before the novel's present day. At the time of the uprising, there existed a thirteenth district and together the districts banded together in an uprising against the Capitol's control. Unfortunately for the Districts, strength in numbers doesn't always do the trick when your opponent can afford to create a technologically superior army virtually out of thin air. The rebellion was quelled, the thirteenth district completely demolished as punishment, and an annual event known as the Hunger Games instated to remind the districts of their failed uprising.

Oh. Does this have anything to do with all this grisly child-murder I keep hearing about? Is it true?

Yes. Scene after scene depicts the bloody end of a child at the hands of brutal Capitol adults or their fellow competitors. There is cutting out of tongues, torture, maiming, starvation, etc. ETC. Here's why this happens: beginning at age 12 until they are 18, every boy and girl from each of the districts must add his or her name to a lottery. There is then a Reaping in which the name of one girl and one boy is selected from each district to participate in the nationally televised Hunger Games. The Games take place in a different terrain, all depending on the whims of the Gamemakers*. There they fight each other to the death. There can only be one winner overall, meaning even those from the same district are pitted against each other as competitors. The arena, though set up to look like your run-of-the-mill jungle or forest, is completely controlled by the Gamemakers and booby-trapped with all kinds of lethal danger . There are Muttations and fires and floods and droughts and Tracker jackers.

And remember how I mentioned that district residents are incredibly poor? Well, when they turn 12, the year they are required to submit their name for the Reaping, they are also eligible for Tessera, or extra food rations. But for every Tessera, the name of the submitter is entered and additional time. Super unfair, especially for the peasants. And there are a lot of them.

Friday, March 16, 2012

For decades parents have warned their children not to have cheese before bedtime to prevent bad dreams. But researchers have disproved this old wife's tale and found that cheese could actually aid sleep.

The study by the British Cheese Board, involved 200 volunteers in a week-long experiment. The cheese-munching volunteers reported no nasty dreams after a late night snack.

After eating a 20g piece of cheese 30 minutes before going to sleep, 72 per cent of the volunteers slept very well every night, just over two thirds remembered their dreams and none reported nightmares.

Dr Judith Bryans, a nutrition scientist at The Dairy Council, said: "One of the amino acids in cheese - tryptophan - has been shown to reduce stress and induce sleep so cheese may actually help you have a good night's sleep."

Type of cheese eaten affects dreams

But they reported that the type of cheese you choose can affect the dreams you have.

When it came to dream type, it seemed that Stilton caused the most crazy dreams, with 75 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women eating Stilton experiencing odd and vivid dreams.

Examples of these mad dreams included a vegetarian crocodile upset because it could not eat children, and soldiers fighting each other with kittens rather than guns.

Choose cheddar for celebrity dreams

If you want a star-studded dream then your best bet is cheddar. Almost two-thirds of volunteers eating cheddar reported dreaming about celebrities, including Jordan and Johnny Depp.

Or if you are missing old friends then try Red Leicester. More than six out of 10 volunteers eating the cheese had nostalgic dreams about their past, including school days and childhood friends.

British brie tended to give women nice dreams, such as Jamie Oliver cooking dinner in their kitchen, while the men had odd dreams such as having a drunken conversation with a dog.

Sleep well with Cheshire

If you just fancy a good night's kip then Cheshire cheese could be for you, with over half of nights in volunteers eating this type completely dreamless.

Neil Stanley, PhD director of sleep research at the University of Surrey, said: "The Cheese and Dream study is the first study of its kind and suggests that eating cheese before you go to bed may actually aid a good night's sleep.

"It seems that selecting the type of cheese you eat before bedtime may help determine the very nature of often colourful and vivid cheese-induced dreams."

Nigel White, secretary of the British Cheese Board, said: "Now that our Cheese and Dreams study has finally debunked the myth that cheese gives you nightmares we hope that people will think more positively about eating cheese before bed."

Cheddar myth

It is not clear where the cheese and nightmares myth originated.

It has been linked to Charles Dickens' character Scrooge who blamed "a crumb of cheese" on his night-time visitations in A Christmas Carol.

The myth has also been associated with a 1950s health scare when cheese was found to be problematic for people using a particular antidepressant.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Josh Hutcherson explains how he developed Peeta's character, particularly since the focus remains primarily on his fellow District 12 tribute Katniss:

It's interesting because, in the book, you have Katniss's internal monologue and dialogue to help you understand that she's confused about Peeta. In the movie, you have to rely on how the scenes are structured and other performances. For me, if you watch it, I felt like I was right along with Katniss the whole time as a viewer. So I think it came from how it was edited together. You only see Katniss' interactions with Peeta, so as an audience, you have to live off of that. Like when he runs off with the other faction, you wonder if Peeta is not who you think he is. So it's got a lot to do with the structure of the film.

Peeta - once he's in the Hunger Games – seems to go through the stages of grief about being in the contest. Was that something you developed consciously?

Definitely, when you get chosen to go into the games, it's more or less a death ticket, so it's disbelief. Shock is the first thing he goes through. What you don't see is the grieving process, which he goes through with his family. Saying goodbye to his mom and dad. But Peeta does a good job of hiding it and his goal is to just help Katniss survive. He loves her and he's weirdly okay with the fact that he probably won't make it out of the games [as long as he can] help Katniss survive.

It's really fun to watch yourself disappear in the movie every day, and watch Effie appear. It required a full transformation. I never knew how old she was, in reading the book. She could be 30, or she could be 100. I imagine, in the future, life expectancy is long and they use crazy plastic surgery. Who the hell knows what's going on? So, I really wanted her to be ageless. Gary's one real note was, "I imagine Joel Grey in Cabaret for her face." That was our jumping off point, and why we ended up with the rough skin and the gnarliness of that...I never wanted Effie to be a clown. I really wanted her to be three-dimensional. She represents the Capitol, in every way. Not just in the way that she dresses, but in her attitude. That line where I say, "I just love that," was an improv on the day. Gary and I were trying to figure out a way to really say that she drank the Kool-Aid.

While Lenny Kravitz explains his character, the personal stylist Cinna:

Obviously, he has integrity. He's at the Capitol and he's working at the Capitol, but he's the guy that, when the revolution busts, is going to be right there. This is not his thing, but he's stuck within the system, and he gets to use his talent and design. From the very beginning, I think he was really taken by the fact that she took the place of her sister. When he comes in to meet her, he's all about, "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen." He's open to her, from the very beginning. I think that he sees her integrity, and he really becomes personally invested. I don't know how long he's been there, but he's been there for a little bit and he's seen kids come and go. He dresses these kids and they're dying. He really wants to do whatever he can do to help her survive.

The great Donald Sutherland explains how he views his character, the autocratic President Snow:

He expects someone to come and challenge his position. He's very confident. His main priority is roses. You see that he looks different from the people in the community. He's much older and he comes from a different generation. In the same sense that my parents didn't really like Elvis Presley and I was crazy about him, it's the same with President Snow. I don't know how much he approves of all that's going on, but it's okay. Now, young people have loads [of] tattoos. I don't have a tattoo.

Alexander Ludwig explains how he prepared to play the villainous career tribute and ruthless killer Cato:

When I got offered the role of Cato, I jumped on the opportunity just ‘cause I've never really had a chance to play a bad guy, and that's something I've always really, really wanted to do. I wanted to experience that really dark side of a person, and Cato is a really, really twisted individual. We worked unbelievably hard. Physically, I wanted Cato to have as big of a physical presence as he did a mental one, in the movie. There was lots of fight training that we had to go through. I worked with an ex-Navy SEAL to bulk up. I did tons of hand-to-hand combat.

Friday, March 9, 2012

"We're at a place where the idea of being 'elite' is somehow considered a negative. Whether it's Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian or whoever, stupidity is certainly celebrated. Being a f**king idiot is a valuable commodity in this culture because you're rewarded significantly. And incuriousness has become cool. It's celebrated. It doesn't make sense to me."

Thursday, March 8, 2012

..A principal at a P.E.I. school says one of her students sent an explicit photo of herself to another student who was caught showing the photo to classmates Tuesday.

A student took a nude photo of herself and sent it to a friend's cellphone, according to Josée Ferron, principal of École François-Buote.

"I think her first reaction was perhaps disbelief, because she said, 'He told me he had deleted the photograph.' He did not," said Ferron.

"At this point, our main concern is, is it elsewhere? Is it already on the internet? If it is, unfortunately, there's nothing we can do."

The principal suspended the two students who received and passed on the photo.

She also called in Charlottetown police.

Deputy Chief Gary McGuigan said they were able to delete the photo from the students' cellphones and police are confident it hasn't made it onto the internet.

But McGuigan said stories like this are becoming more common.

"Students who are sexting are under a mistaken belief that the images they send are going to remain private and confidential. Unfortunately, that's not the case. And once these images hit the internet, there's little or no chance of getting them back."

Police said a lot of young people don't understand is that if they're receiving or sending out an explicit photo of one of their peers, they're actually breaking the law.

Though it's rare, they could be charged with possessing or distributing child pornography

"We would encourage kids to think their actions through," said McGuigan. "We would encourage parents to pay close attention to what their kids are doing on social media."

Ferron said the incident has been a wake-up call for her too.

Up to now, she said the potential dangers of sexting and improper cellphone use hasn't been discussed with students.

"And that's my main concern because if this is part of their lives, how do we adapt? How do we in a school surrounding react? There's education obviously to be done."

Feron said she's already trying to line up a police officer to come in and talk to her students. She's hoping no one else will have to learn the hard way.

The tapes from the '60s were marked with Canada Post stamps and belonged to a Mr. James Brander of Glen Williams, Ontario. Ritchie knew her good friend, Janet Piper, who lived just three doors down, grew up in Glen Williams. Out of curiosity, Ritchie's husband showed Piper's husband the tapes.

Piper's husband knew the name: James Brander was his wife's father. He passed away nine years ago. His distinctive handwriting was recognizable on the tapes.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Here are 4 exercises designed by the Fitness Program Director of DailyBurn, one of the web's leading authorities in exercise, that will bring out your inner archer!

Check them out below and start training today!

ARMS

Exercise – Single Arm Row with Rotation

Equipment – Resistance Band

Description – A single arm row simulates the upper body action in archery by drawing one elbow back (engaging the deep muscles of the back) and slightly rotating the torso. Hook tubing around a stable pole or door jam and place both handles in your right hand. Step back until the tubing has some tension. Pick up your right foot and balance on your left and then begin to pull the tubing back, right hand moving towards right hip. Add a slight rotation to the right, opening up the shoulder.

ABS AND CORE

Exercise – Bear Squat

Equipment – none, just your body weight

Description – The bear squat combines a full plank, which is fantastic for the core, and an explosive leg press. Begin in plank then bend your knees and send your hips back over your heels keeping the knees off the floor (spine is flexed and arms are extended). With a powerful push from your legs, extend back out to plank and hold.

LEG STRENGTH

Exercise – Curtsy Squat Side Lunge

Equipment – Dumbbells

Description – To truly develop strong legs that are functional for running, jumping, leaping and carrying heavy loads, you must train them in all directions. Holding heavy dumbbells in each hand begin with feet together. Step out to the side with your right leg, keeping your left leg straight. Hinge forward slightly but keep chest lifted with the dumbbells on either side of your right leg. Push off your right foot and immediately step back and cross behind the left leg, bending both knees into a curtsy squat.

AGILITY

Exercise – Quick Feet Drill

Equipment – none, just your body weight

Description – To be quick on your feet and have the agility to change direction quickly, you must train the muscles to fire rapidly and with power. This drill is about quickness and endurance and really elevates your heart rate. Begin in the athletic ready stance (feet a little wider than shoulder width with knees slightly bent and a slight hinge forward from the hips) with arms out the side, palms forward. Start moving your feet as fast as you can as if running keeping the feet close to the ground. Keeping your shoulders and torso stable, randomly twist your hips (knees and feet as well!) to the right and quickly back to the center. Repeat to the left continuing to keep your feet moving as quickly as possible.

Friday, March 2, 2012

This all started when some teachers in Austria teased some kids for being stupid.

The joke was that if they were told that spaghetti grew on trees, they would believe it. The Britons believed the hoax with the help of a respectable voiceover and a well presented report. Also, because in 1950s Britain spaghetti was considered an exotic food and a rare delicacy.

An estimated 8 million people saw the report that day. Hundreds called the station the next day to ask for more information on how to cultivate them and others to question the authenticity of the story.